Deborah Punshon

The mean UK temperatures for 2015 were at least one degree cooler than the equivalent month in 2014 for nine out of 10 months in 2015, according to the Wilson Drinks Report (WDR) of official Met Office data.

The new anaylsis highlights the fact that despite many stories that 2015 was the hottest on record, temperatures in 2015 were consistently colder in 2015 than in 2014.

Now UK drinks businesses say they are suffering.

Changes in the weather have a significant impact on the UK drinks industry, with warm, sunny conditions usually being the most beneficial in driving sales of beers, wines and spirits.

Tim Wilson, managing director of WDR said: “As global leaders congregate in Paris to debate global climate change at COP21, it is interesting to look at what actually happens a bit nearer home.

“Most drinks businesses include comments about the weather when either explaining upturns or declines in their performance.

“Our own research confirms that many key drinking occasions are directly impacted by the weather, so we like to keep an eye on the Met Office monthly data to see how changes in sunshine and mean temperature correlate to changes in drinks sales.”